Device for the formation of tobacco layers



Jan. 6, 1942. I E. c. LEHMANN DEVICE FOR THE FORMATION TOBACCO LAYERS Filed Feb. 25, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 am eNTo k am sr cum-r LEHMRNN ATTORNEY- I Jan. 6, 1942. E. c. LEHMANN DEVICE FOR THE FORMATION OF TOBACCO LAYERS Filed Feb. 25, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ONVENTOR aw sTc-ukr Lax-MANN Patented Jan. 6, 1942 Ernst Curt Lehmann, Dresden, Germany, as-

signor, by .mesne: assignments, to J. C. Muller N. V., Rotterdam, Netherlands Application February 25, 1939, Serial No. 258,372 In Germany March 4, 1938 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for the formation of tobacco layers, and has for its object to improve the layer as it is being guided to the cigarette making machine, so as to make the layer uniform, and'without air pockets.

Heretofore, in the formation of such tobacco layers, the devices usedwere the cause of entraining air into such layers, and in'consequence, the layers were non-uniform as they entered the cigarette rod forming devices of cigarette machines.

The present invention overcomes these objections, and in the use of devices embodying the invention, tobacco layers substantially uniform and free from entrained air spaces causing nonuniformity, are provided.

For this purpose, the shaft of tobacco layer machines is provided with means enabling air to be expelled from the shaft and from the tobacco layer passing therethrough and being formed therein, and preferably provision being made to prevent air from entering the shaft.

More particularly, the ends of the shaft are provided with channels for the passage of air outwardly with means preventing exterior air from entering. In the preferred form, such channels are inclined upwardly from the interior to the exterior, and are disposed nearer to each other at the lower part of the shaft than at the upper part thereof. Valves are provided, preferably at the exterior of the shaft, and of flexible material such as rubber held at one end to the Wall of the shaft.

The invention may be applied to different forms of tobacco layer formation devices.

The invention will be more particularly described hereinafter, embodiments thereof shown in the drawings, and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a known tobacco layer forming device, having the present invention embodied therein;

Figure 2 is a vertically disposed section of part of the tobacco shaft, taken on lines II-II of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a transverse section of the tobacco shaft taken on line IIIHI of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a front view of one form of valve applied to an exterior wall of the tobacco shaft;

and

Figure 5 is a sectional side elevation of another form of known tobacco layer forming device, having the present invention embodied therein.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various views.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 and 5, the shaft 5 has a front wall 6, and rear wall 1. The shaft 5 is inclined to the horizontal in Figure 1, and is substantially vertical in Figure 5.

The side walls l2 and I3 shown in Figures 2 and 3, complete the box-like enclosure forming the shaft. These side walls I2 and I3 are, preferably, each provided with channels [4, which are preferably inclined upwardly from the interior to the exterior of each side Wall I2 or l3. At their upper ends the orifices of the channels M are each covered normally with a valve ll, in

. the embodiment shown, this being a flap valve of rubber or the like, supported to the side wall [2, as shown in Figure 4, by fastening devices, such as small screws Ila, which press the flap I! against the side wall and cause it to. cover in air tight manner the orifice of the channel I4.

as shown by the arrows 30 in Figure 2, necessarily by gravity action becomes more compressed, and anypressure applied to the tobacco, either by the weight of the tobacco itself or by extraneous mechanical means is resisted to a greater extent by the relative density, and thus, when applied. should have ample means for conducting pressed air entrained in the tobacco out of the shaft through a multiplicity of channels. Also, it is this end of the tobacco layer which is theindi cator ofthe final condition'of the formed layer. With the invention applied to the tobacco layer forming device, the layer of tobacco, as it discharges upon the belt IIJ, is substantially if not entirely free from entrained air, which, if entrained within the strands, gives a false density or constituency.

The remaining parts of the devices shown in Figures 1 and 5 are known. The tobacco is contained in the hopper I having an apron bottom 29 moving in the direction of the arrow 29a to move the tobacco in that direction when it is moved by the toothed Wheel 2 in the direction of the arrow 2a against the toothed wheel 3, moving in the direction of the arrow 3a, and the toothed wheel 4 moving in the direction of the arrow 4a, discharges the tobacco downwardly as indicated by T, into the shaft formed by the walls 6, I, I2 and I3, (Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5). This shaft discharges in turn upon the belt l passing over pulleys 8 and 9, a toothed wheel ll, moving in the direction of the arrow Ila, assisting the forward movement of the tobacco in the belt II), which moves in the direction of the arrow Illa.

The tobacco discharged from the belt [0, passes between two toothed wheels 3| and 32, moving in the direction of the arrows 33 and 34, and is then dropped into the V-shaped former 35, which is the first step of the cigarette rod forming machine.

The type of devices shown in Figures 1 and each have the wall I movable to and fro as shown by the double arrow 36. In Figure 5 the wall I is hinged at I8. In each case, links and gearing, and transmission members, operate these walls I, but as these are known, they are not particularly described.

Thus, while it is known to guide through a shaft cigarette tobacco loosened in a distributor, which shaft is either vertical or almost so, and of suitable width and length, to form in the shaft a thickened tobacco layer of desired strength, which layer is acted upon at the lower end of the shaft by means for conveying the layer and in which shaft means operate to thicken the layer, in which one wall would alternately air and press together the tobacco, this airing brought too much air within the strands of the tobacco and in. an uneven manner. In all cases of the known devices, a certain amount of air is present in the shaft, which is objectionable to the formation of a uniform tobacco layer. In any event, it is detrimental when, dependent upon accident, irregular air spaces are formed in the tobacco layer.

The improvement, therefore, consists in the provision of means to enable any entrained air in the tobacco layer while in the shaft to be squeezed out of the tobacco layer and removed from the shaft, it being important that such means do not permit entrance of air to the shaft. Thereby the layer is satisfactorily and uniformly pressed together, without air pockets therein.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations, modifications and adaptations as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device for the formation of a tobacco layer having a substantially vertical tobacco layer shaft for receiving at its upper end the tobacco and for discharging it at its lower end, said shaft having front, rear and side walls, the combination therewith of a plurality of channels in the side walls of the shaft, and valves for closing said channels preventing air from passing into the channels from the exterior of the shaft to the interior thereof, said channels being inclined upwardly from the interior to the exterior of the shaft.

2. In a device for the formation of a tobacco layer having a substantially vertical tobacco layer shaft for receiving at its upper end the tobacco and for discharging it at its lower end, said shaft having front, rear and. side walls, the combination therewith of a plurality of channels inthe side walls of the shaft, and valves for closing said channels preventing air from passing into the channels from the exterior of the shaft to the interior thereof, said channels being arranged closer to each other at the lower part of the shaft than at the upper part thereof.

3. In a device for the formation of a tobacco layer of uniform density, a substantially vertical tobacco layer-forming shaft adapted to receive loose tobacco at its upper end and to discharge the formed tobacco layer at its lower end, said shaft being formed by front and rear walls, at least one of said walls being movable to compress the tobacco into a layer, said shaft also including side walls, channel means in said side walls for permitting any air entrained in the tobacco layer to escape outwardly from said shaft, and valve means cooperating with said channel means for preventing the passage of air through the latter from the exterior of said shaft into the interior thereof.

4. In a device for the formation of a tobacco layer of uniform density, said device including a substantially vertical tobacco layer-forming shaft adapted to receive loose tobacco at its upper end and to discharge the formed tobacco layer at its lower end, said shaft being formed by front, rear and sidewalls; means for permitting any entrained air in the tobacco layer to escape outwardly through said shaft, comprising a plurality of valved channels in said side walls, said valved channels preventing the passage of air therethrough from the exterior of said shaft and into the interior thereof.

5. In a device for the formation of a tobacco layer of uniform density, said device including a substantially vertical tobacco layer-forming shaft adapted to receive loose tobacco at its upper end and to discharge the formed tobacco layer at its lower end, said shaft being formed by front, rear and side walls; means for permitting any air entrained in the tobacco layer to escape outwardly from said shaft, comprising a plurality of valved channels in said side Walls, said valved channels being inclined upwardly from the interior to the exterior of said shaft and preventing the passage of air therethrough from the exterior of said shaft to the interior thereof.

ERNST CURT LEHM'ANN. 

